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The Curse of Saints #2

The Curse of Sins

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The much anticipated sequel to Kate Dramis' TikTok fantasy phenomenon, The Curse of Saints. As Aya's powers grow, danger rises . . .

Aya has returned home at last.
But she is not the same person who left Tala all those months ago.
And Tala isn't the same either.
The threat of war that could destroy the realm continues to grow and is the only one who can save it.
Because she is the Second Saint. The bringer of hope. The light in the darkness. Blessed with powers not seen in centuries.
But there are those who stand to use her power for their own gain and Aya learns that danger is closer to home than she ever could have imagined.

400 pages, Paperback

First published June 20, 2024

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Kate Dramis

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 461 reviews
Profile Image for SK .
558 reviews11.5k followers
June 30, 2024
WOAHHH this book was a really nice surprise. I was so excited to read this and am glad it delivered as it was one of my anticipated reads of the year 🥹🥹

I swear this series is the perfect fit for people who love Throne of Glass. The vibes are strong 👀🤭

From the way it started to the ending, it didn't lose my interest. This one is much more refined than book one and the way it's written is chef's kiss. And I love how this series has an actual plot and not bs-ing. This is such a thick book but I couldn't help but binge it.

I love Aya and Will so much, their chemistry and angst is perfect. I love their character complexities as individuals as well, they have so much depth and power. As much as I like Will and his need to protect Aya, taking charge and facing his own demons; I adored Aya more. Her struggles, the betrayals and the way she tried to fight and control was everything! The side characters are pretty good as well, I like Liam and Aidon quite a lot. Tova just got on my nerves but I understand... Gianna was a good villain, gotta admit that.

The last 150 pages tho?? OH MY GOSH. I ate it up. The plot twists?? OH MY GOSH. I NEED MOREEEEE 😭 I saw potential in the first book and I see it come to fruition. Y'all my heart is full right now and if you don't read this series and especially this book, you'll be missing out 😭😭



~•~•~
Not to be petty but this cover doesn't match the edition I have for the first book (this is the only paperback version Amazon had available for me) and it's triggering me deeply.
Profile Image for Muffinsandbooks.
1,721 reviews1,336 followers
November 7, 2024
MASTERPIEEEEECE, I said what I said.
J’imagine qu’on peut trouver ça un peu too much sur certains aspects (la relation amoureuse) et un peu dense sur d’autres (l’univers) mais… perso j’ai tellement aimé. Tout comme le tome 1, j’ai été happée du début à la fin, je me suis prise de passion pour ces personnages, leurs relations, les enjeux de l’histoire toujours plus forts et toujours plus addictifs… c’est de la romantasy comme je les aime, avec une héroïne badass et un héros prêt à tout pour elle, mais aussi des personnages secondaires hyper intéressants, c’est un univers de fantasy avec des dieux, des saints et des enjeux politiques forts, le tout porté par un style incisif et percutant quand il le faut…
Non, vraiment : COUP DE COEUR POUR LE 2 AUTANT QUE POUR LE 1 🤌 Et vu la fin… bah vivement le 3 🥹
Profile Image for Billie's Not So Secret Diary.
757 reviews104 followers
July 6, 2024
The Curse of Sins
by Kate Dramis
The Curse of Saints #2
Fantasy High Fantasy New Adult
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: June 15, 2024
Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House
Ages: 18+


Returning with Will, Aya is not the same, for she is the Second Saint, but she also discovers that her home isn't either. Everyone knows the Second Saint has risen, as has the threat of war.

But some seek war for their own gain, and harnessing Aya's power for themselves almost guarantees their success.

Sadly, this was less of a book than the first in this series. It was slow as the plot and characters rambled on about their faults, their feelings, who was doing what, and who was treasonous. There were a lot of things going on, which created a lot of suspects, but still, not a lot happened, and when something did, it was quick.

As this is the second book of the series, I don't want to give out spoilers, but I will say there were a couple (and only a couple) of surprises that made it worth trudging through. But the porn, ewww. It was way too much, so this book, and the series, are not suitable for readers under eighteen.

I'm not saying it's awful, but it just went on and on without much to hook the reader (or keep them awake) until the last ten pages, but... spoiler...

Yes, I would like to know how the story ends, but...

This one just fell short of the next star...

2 Stars
Profile Image for blank ⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺.
293 reviews35 followers
March 4, 2024
I had hoped that with such great barebones this sequel would be a lot better than the first, especially considering its length, but I was unfortunately wrong. Every problem I had with The Curse of Saints came back 10x stronger for this sequel, which is so sad.
First off, this book is way, way too long considering not a lot happens except for brooding, brooding, and more brooding. Don't get me wrong, I love a reluctant, tortured here (or cast) as much as the next person, but I have major issues with authors destroying the character development they had during their previous work for the sake of ~edginess~. Now, I'd be lying if I said this is what breaks the book for me, because what truly does it is how fucking incompetent every single one of there characters are. You mean to tell me that you have the (supposedly) best spy in the kingdom, two generals, a torturer that for some reason is better at spying than the spy is (wtf?), and not a single one of them can see a plot that couldn't be more obvious if it was written in neon lights? And these people are supposed to help run a nation? No wonder what happened happened, because my god are they all so stupid.
Another big issue I have is how some things happen merely for the sake of plot to never be mentioned again and carry virtually no consequence, but I won't get into it now because of spoilers.
Anyway, 2.75 starts rounded up and I'm possibly DNF'ing the series after this disaster of a sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Lin_reads.
273 reviews27 followers
June 14, 2024
I don't know what it is with Kates writing but I love these books so much! I had the best time reading the Book 1 and this was another grandiose banger!

The audiobook brought every character to life and I loved it so much. Very well done!
This book follows our characters after the book 1 ends and it was so good to be back with them. I loved Will in this book so much, my emotionally available king!
I know a lot of people say that the books lack a bit of world building which I can agree with but I still love the story! I still love that there are so many loveable characters as well as super hated! I want to know more and more and I think Kate is looking towards a brilliant career.

The spice was extra hot in this book and I loved every moment of it.

Thanks Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for an early audiobook for the review.
Profile Image for costitanza (onetoomanybooks).
417 reviews57 followers
June 24, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

‼️ To all Throne of Glass fans, this is for you. ‼️

The Curse of Sins is book two in The Curse of Saints series.

The story picks up directly from the ending of book one, with Aya and Will returning to their home kingdom, Aiden becoming king and Josie still struggling with Vivienne's treason.
Aya and Will know their queen Gianna is plotting and scheming, but why, and what is her main goal?

I really enjoyed this second installment in the series!
Book one was very complicated, the worldbuilding confused and sometimes boring, the only character which had some depth was Will and I struggled a lot finishing it... But, like for ToG you have to trust the process because book two gets much better. The plot thickens, the pace picks up, and the secrets aren´t secreting as much as creating problems.

❤️‍🔥The characters' development was so good in this second book. Will kept being my favorite, but the author did an amazing job with Aiden and Josie, I loved them both. And even Gianna and Tova (which I didn´t like) were pivotal for the understanding of the story.
Aya was much more bearable than book one even though I think she is still not the spymaster of my dreams. She is not super subtle and gets discovered too quickly to be as good as she was written.

I loved to see a little more power plays, and I absolutely adored the bonded wolves!
I don´t know if the worldbuilding got easier because it was book two, but I felt really immersed in the various settings.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, and again, if you are an SJM lover, you absolutely need to read it!

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebook Casablanca, and Dreamscape for sending me an early copy of this ARC.
Profile Image for Abbie Toria.
399 reviews83 followers
June 4, 2024
"It was worse, far worse to get what you hoped for. To be given the one thing you've ever wanted, only to have the gods rip it away. "

🖤 Book 2 in The Curse of Saints series
🐺 Fantasy romance
🩶 Morally grey MCs
🖤 Fascinating powers
🐺 Bonded wolves
🩶 Royal courts, politics, and power

The Curse of Sins was one of my most anticipated releases this year and I was soon swept away in Aya and Will's story once more. Dramis' writing kept me gripped and reading straight on (sorry readalong schedule!) Plenty of emotional turmoil, as well as sweet moments, and spicy scenes, made this a romance I loved. At first, I was very impatient with the chapters from Aidon and Josie's perspectives - I just wanted to get back to Will and Aya!

Mysteries, secrets, twists and turns kept the story thrumming, especially from one despicable character in particular. Royalty, politics, and unstable magical powers all skilfully interweaved. I liked the scenes with the Athatis (wolves) too - more please!

I am already eagerly anticipating the next book, especially after that cliff-hanger ending. Let's hope the wait isn't too long!
Profile Image for Maddy Faber.
122 reviews795 followers
July 23, 2025
3.75! I’m so glad I picked up the first book after it sitting on my shelf for over a year because I’m thoroughly enjoying this world! The reason why it’s not a 4⭐️ is because nothing happened for the first like 60/70% and this book isn’t small but overall I’m excited to see where this goes!
Profile Image for Emily-Rose At The Rose House.
102 reviews119 followers
January 29, 2025
3.5 star

The Curse of Saints ended on a huge cliffhanger which left begging for The Curse of sins, and WOW, did it deliver!

With a growing complex web of political intrigue, hidden magic, and my favourite, forbidden romance!

The multiple perspectives provide a deep dive into the evolving stakes of the realm, and Aya's journey is both heart-wrenching and empowering as she grapples with betrayal and her own identity/powers. The chemistry between Aya and Will is electric, their love both tender and tragic. The miscommunication trope did pop its head up which is the bane of my existence but I promise its worth pushing on!

There is no chance you will be able to guess the twist at the end! I went ahead and purchase the special edition versions of both book 1 & 2 from FairyLoot and I can't wait for book 3!

Thank you Netgalley for the Audiobook in exchange for my honest review
Profile Image for Rudzik.
386 reviews25 followers
January 27, 2025
Kiedy na 50 stron przed końcem myślisz, że fabuła pójdzie tak jak przewidziałaś, że pójdzie, a na ostatnich 15 wszystko się wywraca.

Wejście w drugi tom, było znacznie łatwiejsze niż początki pierwszego. Książka rozpoczyna się dokładnie tam gdzie skończyła się poprzednia część i z tego miejsca zagnieżdżenie się w świecie było bardzo proste, nawet jeśli rozrósł się o nowe lokacje i nowych bohaterów.

Ten tom stoi przede wszystkim meandrowaniem pośród intryg politycznych, godzeniem się z własną tożsamością, ukrywaniem tajemnic oraz borykaniem się z brakiem zaufania. Święta, Gnębiciel i Król, choć są jednymi z najpotężniejszych i najbardziej wpływowych ludzi ma kontynencie i wyspach, mają również całą masę ograniczeń, jeśli nie w postaci innych monarchow to boskich praw. Było dużo akcji, używania powinowactw i wreszcie zobaczyliśmy ich przy robocie. Will wciąż jest moim ulubieńcem.

Wątek romantyczny jest idealnie wyważony w proporcji do pozostałej części fabuły. Główna para jest oszczędna w słowach i gestach przez większą część tego tomu (muszą ukrywać swój związek), ale jak już robi się między nimi bardziej uczuciowo, czy pikantnie, to jest to bardzo satysfakcjonujące (tekst o czczeniu świętej spowodował u mnie napad głupkowatej wesołości). Mam jednak zastrzeżenia co do konfliktu jaki się między nimi zrodził – jak na tak dojrzałych bohaterów był dość szczeniacki i tylko po to, żeby mogli się pokłócić.

Po dwóch tomach dalej uważam, że to jest generyczne (co nie znaczy, że lekkie) romantasy ze znanymi tropami i schematami i spodoba się tym, którzy zatęsknili za najlepszymi książkami z tego gatunku. I choć po pierwszym tomie wdawało mi się, że wszystko rozpracowałam, włącznie z pobocznymi wątkami romantycznymi, tak ostatnie 15 stron przewróciło do góry nogami wszystkie moje teorie. Plot twist był mocny. Uwaga, cliffhanger wyrywa dziurę w brzuchu.

Poziom rozrywki: jak ulubiona piosenka w nowej aranżacji.
Profile Image for Ingerlisa.
594 reviews105 followers
April 4, 2025
This is a really underrated romantasy series that needs more people talking about it.
->Don't let my 3 star deter you because the 3 stars is solely a me issue and due to the fact that I think I'm just not as obsessed with romantasy right now.

This is a really strong sequel where you get more expansive world building, more character development and an interesting plot that continues to grow and keep you engaged. The stakes are even higher in this book and unlike a lot of 2nd books in fantasy series this did not suffer from second book syndrome, it was definitely not a filler book.

Another huge plus with this book is the romance still delivered and I didn't lose interest in the couple <333

The reason for the 3 is because honestly I think I didn't have the connection to this world and characters as I did with the first book but that is a me issue because I should have read the sequel closer to finishing the first book.

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for the ARC.
Profile Image for akacya ❦.
1,832 reviews318 followers
July 1, 2024
2024 reads: 181/250

i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.

this is the sequel to the curse of saints.

after discovering she’s prophesied to save the realm, aya’s duty should be clear: return home with will to serve their queen in the coming war. but aya’s not so sure about this duty, and has questions about the prophecy and her queen. as she and will are forced to lie to everyone, they work on uncovering the truth before dark magic destroys them all.

i really loved the curse of saints last year, so i was very excited to get to this sequel! the plot was so captivating, and the tension between aya and will was incredible. they have to keep their relationship a secret, and i’m such a sucker for the secret relationship trope. i can’t wait to see where the story goes in book three!

narration: devon sorvari returned to narrate this book. i think her narration fits so well for the story and for aya!
Profile Image for Aubrey Miles.
146 reviews3 followers
May 30, 2024
Kate Dramis the woman that you are. The Curse of Saints was good and I thoroughly enjoyed it but WOAH THIS ONE IS A NEW LEVEL. I laughed, I cried, I giggled, I kicked my feet, I had a good time!!! I just feel like there was something for everyone. It was SO WELL written and paced. I can’t rave enough. When it comes out READ IT READ IT READ IT and report back to me.
Profile Image for Colleen.
397 reviews20 followers
October 7, 2025
**Content Warnings at the End of Review**


When I finished the first book, I was interested enough in the plot to continue on in the series (and I had already bought a special edition of the second book). I will say that I am far more invested in the characters in this second novel, but it is missing something for me to give it five stars. I am very surprised that this series does not have more hype around it because it has everything that the book girlies are interested in right now: death, war, power, and sexual content.


The Curse of Sins picks up a couple of days after the events of The Curse of Saints, with Will and Aya returning to their home of Tala after everything they learned while in Trahir. With the news of Aya’s title spreading throughout the realm, Queen Gianna decides it is time for her to step into the role and everything that it entails. It is the last thing that Aya wants, but without knowing what Gianna’s endgame is, Aya and Will agree it is best to stay in her good graces in hopes of finding out what she is planning. That includes hiding their relationship from everyone. Et, things have changed since the left, and it’s unclear who they can trust, if anyone. Aidon and Josie are dealing with the fallout of what happened in the throne room at the end of The Curse of Saints, and it’s testing their sibling relationship. Aidon’s powers are also becoming unstable, which could threaten his whole family and his country. As war marches ever closer, it is unclear if anyone is ready or if everyone will survive this war.


I was about halfway through this novel when I realized why it was so compulsively readable to me; it’s because it reminds me of Shadowhunter novels. While the plots are only slightly the same, it’s the writing style and the high drama of a bunch of twenty-somethings is what keeps you turning the pages. I do appreciate that Dramis gave an in-world explanation as to why Tala is being run by a bunch of young adults, as that was a gripe I had with the first novels. Yet, even though I just finished this novel, I really couldn’t tell you what happened plot-wise. I can tell you all the relationship changes that happened and were dealt with, but the plot itself didn’t really move forward until the last 100 pages. In a 640-page book that will turn off a lot of readers who are not into the high drama. There was the large display when Aya and Will returned, and then the fighting at the end; the middle is a blur of emotional angst.


As for the characters, I find myself liking Aidon the most out of all of our main characters. Aya is a rather generic FMC, and while the reader can feel her anger and helplessness, that is a testament to Dramis’s writing rather than liking Aya. There isn’t much to Will’s character aside from self-loathing and being obsessed with Aya, and I still don’t understand why he fell in love with her in the first place. We didn’t have enough time with Josie in this novel, but I would have loved to really dig into her emotional turmoil with everything that happened in the last novel. Then there is Aidon, who is dealing with the trauma of the throne room events and now being a King with a secret that would topple his rule. He is pulled in so many directions, and while he continues to try and do the right thing and there is no one to help him manage that weight. I hope that he had more page time in the third novel.


I really have nothing to say about this novel, which is surprising because I gave it 4 stars. Perhaps I am nostalgic for the compulsively readable fantasy books of my youth. I have seen a lot of people say that this reads like a young adult book, which I can see, but I also would make the argument that all adult fantasy doesn’t need to be grim dark. I will not lie and say that there is anything new or groundbreaking in this novel, but it is a fantasy world that is easy to sink into and stay in.


**Content Warnings**


Death, War, Blood, Child death, Gore, Sexual content
Profile Image for Yamini.
643 reviews36 followers
June 27, 2024
After the discovery of Aya's power, her role now seems to be straightforward, be the saint that saves the realm and fulfil the prophecy. But why does she feel there is more to her destiny than this? Long gone are the people she could trust, this fight seems to need to be fought alone.

Affinity - is such an interesting concept for rendering energy of various forms and it also plays a key role in the plot twists of the story. Personally, I enjoyed the trio and was waiting for things to settle down between them 😍. The queen was a well-crafted villain character we can all despise. However, the steamy scenes have increased in this book which was a mild discomfort to non-smutty readers like me.

Just like book 1, this too ended on a cliffhanger and that just was a stab in the heart after 20+ hours of listening to the audiobook. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the story and maybe in the grand scheme of things this might be okay, but right now I just feel devastated.
Profile Image for ilooprrt.
394 reviews3 followers
January 17, 2025
3,75/5
Même note que pour le T1
En fait je kiffe
et à la fois j’ai envie de marave les persos (sauf Will tmtc) et là, les derniers chapitres franchement je m’y attendais un peu mais pas trop non plus (pas un banger mais pas loin non plus)
Donc j’ai le seum de pas avoir le 3
Profile Image for kelsey bjorklund.
69 reviews3 followers
July 4, 2024
This book would have been ten times better if it was about 300 pages shorter.

I swear absolutely nothing happened in the first 300 pages of this book, so by the time I got to the second half where it picked up and was more interesting, I was kinda over it and just wanted to be done. That being said, I do think that the last part of the book was genuinely good and that the book was good overall because of the characters. I really enjoyed the integration of Adion and Josie’s stories into this book even though Will and Aya left them; their chapters are genuinely what got me through the first half of the book. Overall, it was a decent second book and I think that it did a good job of setting everything up for the third book, but I am not sure if I will be continuing the series due to how bored I was during the majority of this book. If you enjoyed the first book and the characters from this world, and you don’t mind a slower paced book, I would still recommend it!

On a side note, I genuinely do not understand the people making comparisons between this book and Throne of Glass. I don't know what book y’all are reading, but it is not the same book that I read because if anything, this book gives Shadow and Bone, NOT Throne of Glass!!

3/5 stars!
Profile Image for Mo.
67 reviews4 followers
December 2, 2025
Wow, I’m shook! 🤯

I absolutely love the pacing of book two in this trilogy.

Learning more of Aya’s power, her training, unleashing her rage. It gave me life.

I also enjoyed the shift between Aya, Will, and Tova then to Aidon and Josie in Trahir then the part where everyone’s story melts together. I cried 😭

Ughhhh and I loveeeeeee how we got to see more of their bonded wolves 🐺— Tyr & Akeeta have my heart.

The Curse of Sins was a great turning point to the plot as the stakes grow higher and higher and all the madness unfolds and the vengeance comes to light. I was on edge!

The ending?!? 🤯 there was one element that was predictable because it’s theory was mentioned in book one HOWEVER, I feel like it was on purpose because the next plot twist caught me off guard — I need to start book three ASAP 🥲
Profile Image for Michelle.
573 reviews107 followers
August 24, 2024
this was meandering like it was no body’s business. and then the plot points that the story did hit were all so mediocre in content and execution. jesus christ.

i will read book 3 but i am definitely NOT going to buy it.
Profile Image for Amanda.
194 reviews5 followers
March 4, 2024
Aya's smile was cold. Vicious. "I'm not an Anima. I'm a fucking saint."

Absolutely phenomenal book. I can't even begin to describe how much I loved reading this book. The mix of emotions I felt throughout was so diverse. I went from happy to anxious, to wanting to throw my kindle, crying, relief and shock.

The first book 'The Curse of Saint's' was full of world and plot building which can be hard to digest especially in a fantasy world. The first book doesn't start to come together and unravel closer to the end of the book. 'The Curse of Sins' brings it all together with the added romance dynamic between Aya and Will. Will and Aya are perfect for each other the tension and chemistry between the two is well written. Aya and Will over some a lot together and that love confession, swoon!!!

Aidon and Josie's relationship is a fun brother and sister duo with the added conflict and tension of royal responsibility. It will be interesting to see how Adion's story unfolds in the next book.

The Author does a really good job at making you feel what the characters would be feeling and emotions they are going through. My heart broke at more then one spot in this book and because of it being multi POV you were able to get all angels of the characters reactions and see everything from all sides.

I could not have predicted the ending of this book, it had me gasping. I want ore and I want it now!!! LOL!!! This will be one of my top reads of 2024. The Curse of Sins releases June 25th, 2024.
Profile Image for Brianna.
198 reviews15 followers
April 8, 2024
The woman (me) was TOO STUNNED TO SPEAK??

This is the second book in this series (first is A Curse of Saints) & BOY do I not see enough of you reading that 😮‍💨 This story picks up immediately where we’re left off in Saints & I did feel that the beginning was more of a steady paced walk than a sprint but I still enjoyed it. Also because the rest of the book was so fast paced I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough 🫢 The ending has my heart rate SO HIGH.

Aya & Will are returning from their mission in Saints & so much has changed between them. Going from enemies to lovers is a lot of work okay?? The only thing is they cannot at all even a little bit let anyone know how they truly feel about each other without major repercussions. Let’s not even bring up the fact that Aya has grown in popularity for more than one reason okay?

The world is seemingly what they expected and things resume until pieces just don’t fit anymore. The two of them go about finding out what this unease is coming from in their own ways & the drama (cough cough DANGER) that comes from it is astronomical. These two can’t catch a break and that much is certain.

They end up needing to defend their land & face the VERY real possibility that they may have to make devastating sacrifices to save the ones they love.

AND THE CLIFFHANGER?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I read this as an ARC as the book isn’t releasing until June so I have to wait even LONGER for the next one 😩 I simply don’t know how I’ll survive till then.

Thank you NetGalley & Kate Dramis for the opportunity to read this as an ARC, my review is honest 🫶🏻
Profile Image for Victoria's Library.
230 reviews1 follower
June 25, 2025
Reread in preparation for Gods and this was just as good as the first time. These characters have my heart and I’m excited, but terrified how it’s going to end

Original Review 05/2024:
Kate Dramis really ate with the book. If you liked Saints you are going to LOVE Sins.

This book was everything. I laughed. I cried. I swooned. I screamed. This was amazing.

WAYA has my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and the author for the ARC.
Profile Image for Nicole.
122 reviews7 followers
April 30, 2024
'𝑰𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓', 𝑱𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒍𝒚. '𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒍𝒍 𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆'.

The Curse of Sins is the second book in the series and continues where Aya and Will have a new understanding. Together with her once-sworn enemy Will she returns to their kingdom, her mission clear, to serve their queen and help save the realm in the war looming.

But was it really that clear?
Once returned, they are met with numerous questions and incertainties. And questions unanswered, that are not narrowing down but instead building up. What is the part of their queen in all this? What is the true purpose of Aya's powers?

In the meantime King Aidon is trying to figure out what type of King he wishes to be, met with the first difficult choices he will have to make. The secret he carries with him, standing in his way of living his life.

𝑱𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒆 𝒓𝒖𝒃𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒇 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒎. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒑𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕.

𝑱𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒖𝒑 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒌. '𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒔,' 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅. '𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒔 𝒎𝒆'. 𝑨𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒌, 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒂𝒛𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒙𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓. '𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓,' 𝑱𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒆 𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎. '𝑱𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒆__'

'𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓'

The book focuses a lot on the new dimentions of the relationship between Will and Aya and their romantic feelings towards another. Interestingly enough, it is not the main focus and they are still struggling here and there to figure out their feelings toward another. I think that was a pretty good take, as it would be way to easy to give them their "perfect ever after" straight away.

Next to that, it also focuses around Aya getting into the role of the saint and researching her powers. The tría is not as it's used to be and shifts in trust and allies. Tova doesn't remember a thing and is tortured in her questioning, her rage focused entirely on Will. It strains the friendship and trust between her and Aya, while they figure out where they stand together in all of this.

I usually don't mind a slower pace in books, as long as it builds up to something. Book one was definitely slow-paced aswell. But I think the pacing in book two was bordering on boredom for me at a few times. Not much was happening for say 35% of the book other than researching, preparing and training. In that regard, I'd definitely say this book seems more character focused than plot focused. I think the book would land better with most, if you'd take out the more dragging parts and didn't have to be as chunky as it is.

Another thing I was left confused by is the dynamic. We have a general, an enforcer and a spie known as our tría. They work well together, because they are good at their tasks. However, at times the enforcer was better at spying and finding answers than the one person who had the affinity for it. I feel like her and there the development for each character, carved out so well in book one, was starting to fade a bit in book two.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉. 𝑰𝒍 𝒔𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊 𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆, 𝒂𝒕𝒊 𝒍𝒊 𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒗𝒏𝒊 𝒔𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊 𝒍𝒊 𝑷é𝒍𝒂. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒅.

However, the concept of it all was still interesting and there is definitely plenty to work with. Who doesn't love a good prophecy come true, deception, forbidden romances, political intrigue and dark magic? Towards the end of the book, the clues all come together and the pacing suddenly takes off with a battle and revelation. Leaving us again with that cliffhanger ending we all love to hate. It does set up perfectly for the next installment of the book and with that, another challenge to be met, another battle entirely than we were led to believe we were in.

This book has:
- Multiple pov
- Written in third person
- Queer sidecharacter; so if they/thems aren't your thing, you might want to skip this series.
- Sexual content

My rating for 'The Curse of Sins' landed on a 3.5☆

I was provided with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you 😊
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lisa.
719 reviews67 followers
September 17, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
The Curse of Sins is the second book in the series. Aya and Will travel back home towards their queen after the world learns of Aya being the second saint to save the realm.

“I’m not an Anima, I’m a fucking saint.”


Beware of spoilers for The Curse of Saints
The Curse of Saints review |⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely devoured the first book in this series and couldn’t wait to dive into the second! I got the stunning Fairyloot edition to match the first and dove into it while on vacation in Italy.

The story starts off a bit slow, with a slow pacing, but while the pace was slow, I just couldn’t put this book down! I remember how much I loved the first book, the characters, and the world, so I just wanted to keep on reading and reading this book.

Where the first book focused a lot on Aya and her powers, her relationship with Will, this book is so political. The war is looming ahead, and it has become unavoidable. The Tria is not what it used to, especially after Tova being locked up and tortured, and it is hard to know who to trust at all times. The tension is at an all high and I loved every second of it! The lurking danger and knowing a bomb is going to drop at any moment is one of the things that makes this book GREAT!

Aya is just as amazing in this book as she was in the first. She struggles a lot with the position she is in, the weight on her shoulders as the second saint and not knowing who to trust makes her feel alone. It is relatable and her growth is honestly amazing. Will is still very charming, but the length he goes to for Aya are so damn admirable! I love him!

The relationship between Aya and Will is definitely put to the test with all that comes across their path, but I love how the feelings didn’t dim but grew stronger with each hurdle thrown at them. They still banter, but they let the other in and lean on the other more as well.

The ending… T_T well damn. While knowing this book was going out with a bang, the BANG was BIG! I screamed reading this ending and honestly when starting this book, I thought this series was a duology instead of a trilogy… I NEED BOOK 3 T_T ASAP! WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME T_T . If I had to sum up the ending of this book it would just be:🤯

The ending was just perfect in every way! The ending is one big rollercoaster of emotions that I loved, no matter how heartbreaking it was. To be honest, I think I love this book even more than the first and whoever is afraid of the second book syndrome, where hardly anything happens, this book is NOT like that!

Overall, The Curse of Sins is amazing in every way! The depth of the characters, the tension that had my heart beating in my throat and an ending that made me need book 3!
Profile Image for Anna.
336 reviews5 followers
June 1, 2024
4,5 / 5

Not counting the prologue, Curse of Sins picks up right where Curse of Saints left off.

Due to my own stupidity, I accidentally spoiled myself with what happens on the last 20, maybe 30 pages, and I was somewhat worried that it wouldn’t have the effect on me that the author intended. Which yes, but also, no. It affected me even though I knew what was coming.
Don’t be like me. You don’t want to know what happens until it actually happens.

Compared to book one, this sequel had way more monologues from pretty much everyone who had their own pov. Which was nice, because we got a more in depth view in their minds.
Yet it also felt a bit too much at times, because those monologues might feel repetitive to a certain point.
Especially when those feelings, thoughts and doubts often enough boil down to the same issue the character in question was facing from the beginning of the book/series.
And it’s not like I can’t understand those emotions, it’s just from a reader pov you’re like ‘ok I think I got it now’.
One might argue that those parts could have been shortened or felt dragged out and I am inclined to agree.

I loved Aidon + Josie in Curse of Saints and was very happy to see that they played not only a bigger role, but we also got to see frequently through their povs what was happening in their lives and in Trahir, especially after the events in Curse of Saints.
But I love them even more now!

An arguably important part of the book was Tova and her relationship with Aya. I would have loved to read some of their conversations through Tova’s pov, so we can understand her own frustration and general emotions better.

We were also (re)introduced to (some new) characters not only around Aya and Will, but also Aidon and Josie and I am very interested to see how these new relationships will develop in the next book.

Some of the cursing felt a bit off, and it’s not like I am against dropping the f-bomb or a curse in general (one might argue I am actually the opposite of being against it), but there were some moments where it did feel almost forced and not really necessary to convey whatever frustration the character was feeling.
This is also something that I felt during Curse of Saints, but can easily look past.

I also felt like some of the revelations came way too quickly to Aya and Will. How are you not able to connect the dots and see through all of the issues and yet here you are suddenly understanding everything without a second thought?

With how Curse of Sins ended, I am VERY excited to read the next book and hope to explore even more of the world! I would also really love to read from some more characters point of view.

Thank you to Michael Joseph for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Nikki Strover-Wood.
77 reviews5 followers
May 4, 2024
I received an ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars
🌶️🌶️.5 spice

What to Expect:
⚔️Wartime Fantasy with a Romance subplot
⚔️Court & Religious Politics
⚔️Royal Spymaster x Royal Enforcer
⚔️Forbidden Romance
⚔️Chosen One
⚔️Found Family
⚔️Bonded mystical creatures (I picture them like Direwolves)
⚔️Multi POV

I'm not an Anima, Mathias. I'm a fucking saint


Reeling after that ending is an understatement. The events of the last few chapters I did not see coming, I thought Gianna was evil but maaan....ooft. Absolutely shook, holy crap that moment of DEVASTATION I tell you (you know the one, this is a spoiler free zone) came out of nowhere. Was not expecting it at all.

Ugh. And we'd finally gotten our found family moment with the whole gang back together. They all should have moved to Trahir and stayed there because fuck Gianna.

Anyway...

This book was a great addition to the series, it was absolutely action packed, and with so many twists and turns. Secrets on secrets. And I love it when I'm trying so hard to predict what's coming and I'm wrong, it's weirdly satisfying.

Despite the fact that these characters are all terrible at their jobs, we get depth and complexity and diversity that more than makes up for it. No one is all good or all bad, and the side characters being so wonderful made switches between the multiple plot lines a pleasure to read...even when we got left on a cliffhanger chapter, which is saying a lot. Man, do I love the short chapters too.

I thought the pace of the first half of the book was pretty slow, I had to slog through the mid-book slump and was struggling at the 40-50% mark, but things really picked up in the second half and I raced towards the end as the tension ramped up, so it was definitely worth it. Just felt like we could have got there sooner and skipped some unnecessary fluff that extended the length of the book without adding much to the plot or character building.

What really got me through was Will and Aya. I wanted more, and couldn't handle the angst, their dynamic in this book just got better and better. My fucking heart. I was speeding through just to get to their next reunion because I wanted them desperately to sort their shit out.

I will end this with a small request...if the final epilogue of this series isn't the two of them ending up in the remote mountains somewhere living out the rest of their lives together in peace with their beautiful wolves, I might riot.
Profile Image for Dario Pacheco.
496 reviews32 followers
June 22, 2024
Y’all I absolutely devoured this book. Reading and listening was an experience.
STAY ANCHORED IN THE LIGHT, THEY TOLD HER. BUT WHAT HAD THE LIGHT EVER DONE FOR HER?
With betrayal lurking around every corner, she and Will are forced to lie, manipulate, and hide what they've become to one another as they struggle to learn the truth before dark magic destroys them all.
And with secrets and lies trailing Aya wherever she goes, she has to wonder...do the gods truly want her to save the realm...or simply watch it burn?
I loved book one so much that I couldn’t wait to get into book two when NetGalley said I was approved.
The way Kate has expanded this world is just awe inspiring to witness. The character developed with the whole cast was evenly split out so you cared for the whole cast of wildly diverse characters. And that finale, aka a cliff hanger that left me shooketh. It make me want to have book 3 in my hands so bad so I can get answers to the burning questions that I left jumping around my head.
You will love this book if you love:
•darkness vs light
•complex characters
•diverse cast
•twists and turns
•shocking finale
I would 100% recommend this book to anyone looking for a series to completely leave them destroyed and grateful for it.

Thanks to the folks at NetGalley for an audio copy of this book. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.
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